Deck the Halls

As the countdown continues till Christmas and the girls continue to get more and more out of controll as they finish up their end of term exams I still sit here waiting for the Christmas feeling to hit me. Walking by the stores in Marton and the local shopping mall down the highway the stores have decorated their windows and the shoppers come out in larger masses yet the feeling of Christmas is still to hit! Maybe its the fact that I have been swimming outside in November, not at home working retail, my Mom isnt blaring out the Christmas carols over the speakers or the piano and there definetly isnt any christmas cookies to be snitched out of the freezer! Yet the days are being counted until Christmas eve so tis the season to deck thy halls!

I just returned this past weekend from running a relay team event around Mt. Taranaki about two hours north of Marton in New Plymouth! It was a great weekend and a great run. I ran a total of 14 km of the 150 km route and had an amazing time. The views were beautiful as we ran around the mountain stopping in little small towns while we picked up our runners. The mountain is one of the most perfectly formed non active volcanoes in New Zealand. Our first runner hit the pavement at 2:30 in the morning!!!! I woke up for 4 am after a little of a late night to run that morning at 6:30! I was happy to be running by farm fields and the mountain on my left. A rather refreshing and energising way to greet the morning!

I am headed out on a tramp this coming weekend with our Duke of Ed girls and we are tramping up the sister mountain of Taranaki called Rotopehue ( legend has it that Taranaki was naughty and got sent away from Rotopehue and that is why they are so far apart now) Hopefully the rain will hold off as we are doing A LOT of walking and tenting. Im always being reminded to wear my sun hat and sunscreen as the New Zealand sun is so much harsher here than back home. Burning can occur in the first 10 minutes because New Zealand has a hole above them in the ozone! Im trying to keep covered up.. but being Canadian and craving a good tan.. the odd basking in the sun does occur...

Hoping the holiday season is finding everyone well as we all make the trip to see family. Not missing the snow.. :)

Em